The present invention relates to a cascade effect icicle light set and, more particularly, to a pair thereof adapted for electrical interconnection.
It is known to provide an "icicle" light set wherein there is a transversely extending common wire means at an upper portion of the light set and a plurality of transversely extending spaced parallel light strings descending from the common wire means like icicles. Each icicle contains a plurality of lamp sockets, and the icicles may be of different lengths containing 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. lamp sockets or they may be a common length containing a like plurality of lamp sockets. The lamps in each icicle may be activated and deactivated as a unit, typically independently of the lamps in the other icicles. The visual impression created by the known icicle light sets is not entirely satisfactory as it does not adequately portray the visual effect of melting icicles. Inherent in the concept of a melting icicle is the dripping or downward movement of the water from the top of the icicle to the bottom of the icicle. Thus, the need remains for a chaser icicle light set which will allow the lamps in each light string to be activated and deactivated in a downwardly moving or "chaser" pattern.
Commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/992,988 discloses such a cascade effect icicle light set. The lamps in each icicle (i.e., light string) create the visual effect of descending melted water. The first (highest) lamp of each icicle will turn on and off as a unit, followed by the second lamp of each icicle as a unit, followed by the third lamp of each icicle as a unit, etc. The cascade effect icicle light set comprises a transversely extending common wire means, and a plurality of transversely spaced parallel light strings (i.e., icicles) depending from the common wire means. Each light string defines a plurality of lamp sockets physically disposed in a series, the lamp sockets of the plurality of light strings being organized into a plurality of sets corresponding to given points along the lengths of the light strings. Means are provided for activating and deactivating the sets successively to produce a cascade wherein each set of each light string flashes on and off substantially in horizontal unison as a set to provide a chaser icicle effect. Preferably, all lamp sockets of a given set within a given light string are electrically disposed in series (i.e., series-wired), and the number of lamp sockets in each light string is an exact whole integer multiple of the number of series-wired sets.
It is a common practice for "icicle" light sets to additionally include an assembly having an electrical plug for receiving power from a power supply via the plug and distributing the power to the plurality of transversely spaced parallel light strings of the light set (e.g., via a control unit). At least one of the light sets (and preferably all of the light sets save the last) includes an end connector for receiving the plug of another one of the light sets. Such an arrangement is, however, impossible in a pair of cascade effect icicle light sets, as described above, because the power supply made available by the control unit is less than the full power being applied to the control unit. Simply put, the control unit of the initial light set and the end connector thereof (for receiving the plug of the other light set) do not afford access to the full voltage being applied to the initial control unit. Thus the second light set would be taking power away from the first light set, with the result that the lamps of both light sets would burn less brightly (i.e., more dimly).
Accordingly, while an icicle light effect can be extended indefinitely--for example, about the periphery of a building--simply by interconnecting a plurality of icicle light sets, the same is not true for a "cascade effect" icicle light set. As the transversely extending common wire means is typically of very limited length in a cascade effect icicle light set, the need remains for a structure which is modified to permit multiple cascade effect light sets to be electrically interconnected. Preferably, each of the icicle effect light sets thus electrically interconnected could be controlled by its control unit separately and independently from each adjacent light set.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pair of cascade effect icicle light sets adapted for electrical interconnection.
Another object is to provide such a pair of light sets wherein, in one embodiment, the control unit of each light set is capable of separate and independent control.
A further object is to provide such a pair of light sets wherein full power is made available to the plug of each light set.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a pair of light sets wherein, in different embodiments, the plug of the second light set may be plugged into either the control unit or an end connector of the first light set.